Brick Cave House: Inspired by nature

What would you like to discover?

1. How to make bricks?

2. "Brick – Cave": Vietnam house made from brick

3. Decorative brick and natural stone brick

With a tradition of more than thousands of years, brick is one of the oldest materials used in masonry construction. The first record of using brick and still functional, dates back to 7500 B.C. and was discovered in the upper valley of Tigris River. Later, throughout Renaissance and for concealing masonry, brick was replaced by gypsum and specific paintings of that period. During 18^th century, brick walls were back in fashion, even in areas where natural stone was at hand – UK buildings of the Industrial Revolution were made of brick and wood.

1. How to make bricks?

Brick is produced from natural materials and serves multiple purposes: structural frame for houses, interior / exterior walls for houses and lately for surface decoration projects. The process of making brick has changed very little over time – since ancient history until today – except the fact that now machines are doing most of the work. Bricks are made of clay – a mineral composed of very small particles of rock, found usually on Earth's surfaces, usually in lakes or rivers. When wet, clay becomes slippery and turns into a plastiline texture, which is maleability. This mixture is transferred to shapes and burned at approximately 870 – 1200 °C (upon reaching 535 °C brick turns red). Once burnt, bricks will not soften or lose shape even on contact with water. In the beginning and perhaps it is still true today, in some areas of the world there are still people drying bricks in the sun, during the last stage of production.

2. "Brick – Cave": Vietnam house made from brick

Somewhere in Vietnam, in Hanoi to be more specific, H&P Architects, an architecture office designed a house made of bricks, based on a quite simple philosophy that consider the fast industrial development of a city, in which an area resembling a natural setting can be shaped in an artificial way. Hanoi is popular mainly because of its architecture – a mixture of ancient and French oriental architecture that can be noticed in both ancient and modern districts. Hanoi’s old architecture is still available in a district called "The 36 Streets" and highlighs small size houses, concealed with leaves or boards.

Brick is a very popular material in Vietnamese architecture, both in terms of structure and also for providing aesthetics, therefore it was introduced into this concept-house in an unusual way. H&P Architects integrate in almost every one of their projects this raw material into singular ways, always with great results. The structure of this house was designed to look like a cave, the unit includes two layers of brick walls converging and creating a filter that rejects the negative side of the environment – the West sun, dust or noise and brings nature inside, where necessary. The exterior wall is leaned towards interior in different diagonals for creating ideal angles so that residents can enjoy the landscape. "Brick – Cave" is defined by the interconnected spaces with random openings that convey the sensation of nature-oriented design and also intimacy, to satisfy the needs of each resident. The combination of these spaces creates mixed relationships with the environment and halps to blur boundaries between interior and exterior – house and the streets, house and the alleys and finally people and nature. Basically, this house depicts a fragment from the urban side of Vietnam, integrating alleys, street corners, gardens and relaxing areas. Brick, which is the featured material in here, carries you on a journey into your inner self, in which familiar memories come to mind and every corner is shaped by emotion. The house is an expansion of the universe in which the sky, garden and people are brought together in one place. This concept is based on a symbiosis between the authentic experience created by space and the comfort of a safe shelter. Besides brick, architects combined this local material, provider of safety, with the beauty and durability of different natural materials such as wood or marble for flooring. And of course, vegetation.

This material is recommended and used by many architects mainly due to its durability, combined with freedom, from a creative point of view. As a result, it conveys a story into a space that later conserves itself in its own history, associated with a safe shelter for generations.

Did you know that...

The Great Wall of China, 700 I.Hr, is built of brick?

Up until recently, all UK houses were made of traditional red brick?

No other building element is similar with brick, in terms of having more options to obtain unique architectural effects?

Natural stone is an eco-friendly material, 100% organic?

Brick’s color does not fade in time, therefore the house beauty is maintained?

3. Decorative brick and natural stone brick

When it comes to building or home decoration projects, society evolved toward pushing the esthetic forward. From bricks made of clay and burnt by the sun, we currently have decorative brick – produced from composite stone or natural stone – just as durable, yet with a special and unique look. Whether we refer to exterior walls cladding – home bases, facades, fences – or interior claddings and fireplace cladding, decorative brick adds value to your house, for customers in search of a rustic house or enduring decoration projects. Sandstone decorative brick for interior decoration projects highlights an exquisite texture, different from that of traditional brick and it also has a huge impact on your space and more shades, compared to a simple red color. Decorative brick conveys personality into your space. This material is more popular in Romania because of its price, more affordable compared to other building materials, its durability, but also the aesthetic features transferred into the space.

PIATRAONLINE product range includes a wide range of natural stone decorative brick – sandstone – which retains the classic shape of stone, yet refined by its. Ideal for cladding the interior and exterior projects, decorative brick or natural stone brick is highlighted by its many benefits and features, such as durability against temperature changes, humidity and the most Important of them all, time. For a material as close as possible to the traditional brick from clay, you can use Deco Brick – Traditional Deco Brick. Another extra benefit is the absence of maintenance costs for this material. Decorative brick projects can be really amazing if you manage to see beyond the shape of dry clay in the sun; you can create areas that assemble representative nature fragments for you.